KISSIMMEE, Fla. — The good news is the Astros found a closer. The bad news is they are still the Astros.

Certainly, it is a challenge to get excited about moves made by a team that lost 106 games last season, but if you are not going to celebrate the little things, you probably won’t be celebrating any time soon.

Moving Brett Myers to the bullpen is a little thing that could pay big dividends. For a while. Are the Astros serious about winning games or serious about getting the most from Myers when it comes time to trade him?

Probably both.

Myers, the opening-day starter a year ago, is clearly the most capable closer on the roster. That says something about the roster, but Myers, 31, is a hard-nosed competitor who should relish the role.

But don’t think of this as a long-term solution. General manager Jeff Luhnow says budget concerns haven’t been an issue in any moves he has made since he took over in December, but surely he is aware of the mandate to slash payroll.

You don’t have to be a CPA to know there is a significant jump in closer costs from Mark Melancon’s $400,000 tab a year ago to Myer’s $11 million salary. At that price tag, Myers is on the trading block.
While the Astros are waiting for an offer they won’t refuse, they hope Myers’ work in the late innings will add numbers to the win column.

It is disheartening for a ballclub to get to the eighth or ninth inning with a lead and not have someone capable of slamming the door. Too often last year, the Astros were sent to the clubhouse in a sorry mood because the bullpen was too sorry to save the day.

It wasn’t all on the closer. Brandon Lyon got off to a horrible start, which set the pace, but Melancon was solid when given the opportunity. But he was traded in the offseason, leaving a hole at the bullpen’s back end.

With questions about when and if Lyon, coming off shoulder surgery, will be back to normal, the Astros had to come up with something. Lyon and Myers could present a solid eighth- and ninth-inning tandem.

Astros relievers had by far the fewest saves in the National League last season with only 25. Cincinnati, which finished next to last, had 39. The Astros’ bullpen had the fewest save opportunities, but with a 50 percent success rate, more chances probably would have meant more embarrassment.

Meaningful metric

Save percentage can be a key metric. Former Astros closer Jose Valverde, whom after the 2009 season Drayton McLane decided re-signing would have put too big of a dent in the family inheritance, led the American League in saves last season with 49 in 49 attempts.

The Astros allowed more runs per game (4.91) than any other team in the National League. Their bullpen led the league in losses (35) and posted the worst ERA at 4.49. That group gets significantly stronger with Myers, who had 21 saves (in 24 opportunities) for the Phillies in 2007.

The bigger question might be how long will he be there. Myers could move back into the rotation during the season, but more likely, he will be dealt to a contender before that happens.

His value in the market will be determined by injuries and, for teams interested in him as a starter, perhaps where free agent Roy Oswalt signs. The Astros made a move that makes sense for them.

You could be concerned about who will fill the 220 innings Myers has eaten on average in his two seasons with the Astros — he did pitch 25 more innings than anyone else on the staff in 2011 — but with this team, any move to fill a hole probably opens another. It’s an all-out holey war.

A good trade-off

Luhnow is betting that Myers’ being available every night is better than the six innings or so he gave every five days. Plus, it should hike his trade value.

So the Astros didn’t get anywhere near good when Myers accepted the bullpen assignment, but they got better. Live for the little things.

Taylor Swift might have provided the most entertaining evening at Minute Maid Park last year. It was that kind of a season.